Taco Salad Recipe
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This tasty Taco Salad Recipe is loaded with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, beans, and cheese in a tortilla bowl and served with chipotle ranch dressing. This has become a family favorite in our house and is easy to make.
If you enjoy big hearty salads, especially in the summer, you might want to try my tomato onion salad or Niçoise salad. Both are loaded with fresh ingredients and work well as a main dish or side.
Taco Salad
Taco salad is considered a Texas-Mexican, or Tex-Mex, dish that originated in Texas and has been around since the 1950s. It’s said to have been created by Elmir Doolin, the founder of Fritos. He owned a restaurant in Disney called Casa de Fritos and featured the Ta-Cup.
It has since transformed into the large flour taco bowl we know today, with an assortment of ingredients, including lettuce, tomatoes, meat, sour cream, cheese, and more. Depending on who is making it, this salad has many variations, which can absolutely be tailored to your liking.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tortillas – I used extra-large flour tortillas to make the tortilla bowl with. In addition, I used corn tortilla shells that I cut and fried to go on top. You can replace what I did with the corn tortilla shells with plain corn tortilla chips or Fritos.
- Lettuce – Romaine lettuce was used in this recipe. However, you can also use greens like green leaf lettuce, butter leaf, iceberg, spring mix, or a combination.
- Meat – I used 80/20 ground beef. You can use and lean to fat ration beef in this dish. In addition, you can also use any cooked protein, such as chicken or pork.
- Seasoning – I used my homemade taco seasoning to season the beef with.
- Dressing – You can use your favorite dressing for this salad, but Chipotle ranch works best.
- Onion – I used a combination of red onions and green onions. You can use either or both.
- Corn – As long as it’s cooked, corn can be fresh, frozen, and thawed, or canned and drained.
- Beans – Cooked black or pinto beans are my favorite to use.
- Cheese – Traditionally, a sharp cheddar is used, but any cheese such as white cheddar, Colby, Monterrey jack, jack, or a Mexican blend works well.
- Tomatoes – I used cherry tomatoes, but you can use any fresh tomato.
- Avocado – A hint of good fat from ripe avocados goes a long way in this dish.
- Sour Cream – This is optional and can essentially replace the dressing. I like to use both.
- Oil – Any neutral-flavored oil can fry the tortillas and the beef.
How to Make Taco Salad
Heat the oil: I add one to two tablespoons of avocado oil to a large non-stick skillet. Then, I let it warm up over medium heat so it’s ready for the tortillas.
Cook the flour tortilla: Next, I add a flour tortilla to the pan and cook it for about 30 to 45 seconds on each side until I see those dark brown spots appear.
Shape and bake the tortillas: As soon as the tortilla is cooked, I transfer it to a small or medium oven-safe bowl and press down in the center with a drinking glass to shape it like a bowl. I do the same with the other tortillas, then place them all on a sheet tray and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 to 15 minutes until they’re lightly browned and crisp. Once they’re done, I set them aside to cool.
Cut the corn tortillas: I take the corn tortillas and slice them into thick strips, keeping them about the same size so they fry evenly.
Heat the oil for frying: I pour about half a cup of avocado oil into a medium or large non-stick skillet and let it heat over low to medium heat so it’s ready for frying the tortilla strips.
Fry the tortilla strips: I fry the corn tortilla strips in batches for about 30 to 45 seconds until they turn crisp. I make sure not to overcrowd the pan so they cook evenly.
Drain the tortilla strips: Once the tortilla strips are crisp, I take them out of the pan and place them on paper towels to soak up any extra oil.
Cook the ground beef: I add the ground beef to a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and flatten it out right away. After about 30 seconds, I sprinkle in two to three tablespoons of taco seasoning and mix it all together.
Finish cooking the beef: I break the ground beef into bite-sized pieces and cook it until it’s browned and cooked all the way through. Once it’s done, I set it aside while I get the rest of the salad ready.
Prep the vegetables: I chop the lettuce and dice all the vegetables so everything is ready to go when it’s time to build the salad.
Assemble the salad: I fill the cooled flour tortilla bowl with the chopped lettuce, then add the vegetables and sprinkle on the cheese.
Finish and serve: I drizzle on my favorite dressing, usually chipotle ranch, and serve the salad right away while everything is fresh and crisp.
Chef Tip + Notes
I suggest for making my taco salad recipe to add a little water to the ground beef before cooking. It keeps the meat nice and juicy and makes sure the seasoning spreads evenly. I always do this because it makes the beef taste better and the whole salad comes out great.
- Shape the tortilla bowls while hot: I always shape the flour tortillas right after cooking them in the pan because they’re much easier to mold while they’re still warm and flexible.
- Keep the oil at the right temperature: When I fry the corn tortilla strips, I keep the oil at a steady medium heat. If it gets too hot, they brown too fast and can turn bitter.
- Prep ahead for easy assembly: If I’m prepping ahead, I keep all the toppings, beef, and dressing separate. That way, everything stays fresh and crisp until it’s time to build the salads.
- Make it your own: This salad is easy to customize. Sometimes I swap out the protein for grilled chicken or skip the beans if I want to keep it lighter. It’s all about making it work for you.
Serving Suggestions
When I serve this taco salad for dinner, I like to pair it with a bowl of my creamy refried beans or some Mexican street corn on the side.
If I’m hosting a bigger crowd, I set out a platter of my bacon-wrapped shrimp or my fresh guacamole with some tortilla chips. They’re great appetizers to kick things off before everyone builds their taco salads.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Keep the dressing and the salad accompaniments separate, but you can prepare this up to 2 days ahead for freshness.
How To Store: If you can keep the dressing separate, cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of beef to a non-stick skillet over low heat and heat until hot.
More Salad Recipes
Taco Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 4 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 extra large flour tortillas
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 thinly sliced green onions
- 1 peeled, small diced small red onion
- 1 peeled, cored, medium diced avocado
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 15- ounce can drained black beans
- 15- ounce can drained corn
- 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- Chipotle ranch dressing
Instructions
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of avocado oil to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Next, add in a flour tortilla and cook for 30 to 45 seconds per side or until dark brown spots form.
- Immediately transfer it to a small to medium-sized oven-safe bowl and press down in the center using a drinking glass to mold it into a bowl-like shape. Repeat the process with 3 more flour tortillas. Ensure the flour tortillas are in the bowls and on a sheet tray, and bake in the oven on a middle rack at 350° for 14 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Set aside to cool.
- Cut the corn tortillas into thick strips.
- Add about ½ cup of avocado oil to a medium or large-sized non-stick skillet over low to medium heat.
- Fry the corn tortilla strips in batches for 30 to 45 seconds or just until crisp.
- Let them drain on paper towels to get rid of any excess oil.
- Add the ground beef to a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and immediately flatten it out. After 30 seconds of frying, sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the taco seasoning and mix it in.
- Break up the ground beef into bite-size pieces and cook until they are browned and cooked throughout. Set it to the side.
- Prepare the lettuce and vegetables.
- Fill the cooled flour tortilla bowl with lettuce, ground beef, and desired vegetable toppings and cheese.
- Add on your desired dressing and serve.
I made this recipe when five high school friends got together this weekend. We will all be 70 this year. They loved the salad because they could build their own and they especially liked the homemade dressing. It was so fresh tasting. I followed the taco salad recipe with three exceptions. I did not make the bowls, I used tortilla chips on top of the salad, and I used Chef Parisi’s plain Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. I have yet to make a Chef Parisi recipe that did not disappoint. He is my go-to resource.
Many thanks!
This sounds like a meal I want to make Chef Billy. Could you please explain a little more about your following tip? “A good way to ensure the beef does not dry out is to stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of water before cooking.“ I’m unsure when I am supposed to be adding water – stirred in with beef in a bowl before frying it? Do I use oil in the pan to fry the beef?
When it’s about 3/4 of the way cooking.
So tasty TU ChefBilly 🤩😁😋
My daughter’s favorite so delicious 😍
So good!
Made this for dinner tonight. this was sooo good! If you have not made this yet, I highly recommend you do. Thank you chef Parisi for sharing!
Excellent taco salad bowls. Always wanted to make these, so when I saw your recipe I did. This is a keeper!
many thanks!
I love having this salad at least once a week. My boys and I love it, it comes together so easily and it is filling when it is all said and done. Great idea here Chef.
I always add more beef that what is called for..